At Heartland's law firm: "Carbon Matters"

At Heartland's law firm: "Carbon Matters"

Levenfeld Pearlstein, the law firm that has stepped up to pass on complaints about the publication of leaked Heartland Institute documents, appears to be one of the greenest in Chicago. For example, James Brusslan, head of the Environmental Services Group at Levenfeld Pearlstein, says companies should act now to prevent climate change because:

The IPCC has determined with virtual certainty that humans are the cause of significant global warming due to increased emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), including carbon dioxide and methane. Many scientists believe if we do not take action quickly, the impact could be catastrophic.

It would be interesting to know how Brussland gets along with Michael Padden, son of the Heartland Institute's founder David Padden and author of the most recent letter asking the DeSmogBlog to take down the document that describes, accurately and succinctly, Heartland's Climate Strategy for 2012.

Previous Comments

Lawyers have a legal obligation to defend the legal interests of their clients, even if those clients are rapists, murderers, or war criminals. The judge and(if applicable) jury will hear both arguments and determine which one’s more reasonable, and the truth will generally win the day, but the system can’t function unless someone is there to defend both sides. This is pretty basic as legal ethics goes.

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.